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Wind elf
The Wind Elves (Ashtari: Wind Elfe, Elfskrit: Amesha) are a genus of elves. Biology The hair colour of the Wind elves are categorized into four groups. *The Light haired, a multitude of blondish colours. From white and silver to golden blond and dark blond. About 60% of all wind elves falls into this category. *The Raven haired, coloured pitch black. About 11% of all wind elves falls into this category. *The Earthen haired, a wide palette of brownish colours, even some with rich auburn. About 20% of all wind elves fall into this category. *Last are the God touched. Two coloures make up this category. The bluish haired who are said to be touched by Zethus and the very rare brightly red haired who are said to be touched by Mohira. They make up 8% and 1% of all wind elves. Reproduction Mythology In times before times, the gods of gods ruled the endless skies, joined through the ribbons of the motion or wind of creation. A young god of gods were born, her light the most perfect of lights. Sura she was named and all the gods of gods rejoiced at the brith of another of their siblings. As time passed she gave birth to many daughters, the most beautiful of daughters she named Solcu. Yet all were not well for the daughters. Many turned out barren, unable to bring forth children of their own. Only Solcu proved fertile as many a children were born and spread out all over her glory. The giants were the first, great beings of primordial power. Great and terrible, they tormented their mother. The mortal races sprang forth in the shadow of the giants, much death and destruction were given them by the giants. The plight and terror of the mortals brought forth the first of the gods, children of the giants. Rahman, god of light, stars and the sky and Heliset, goddess of death, darkness and mourning. They brought much peace to the mortals as they fought the giants. Other gods rose, foremost among them were Zethus, god of honour, justice, courage and lightning. Amatera, Mohira, Bhasr and many others rose to fight the giants. As the other gods fought it gave rest to Rahmam and Heliset. Heliset strove to give guidance to the fallen of the mortals, to give the living a chance at mourning their dead in peace. Through burning of the fallen they'd be freed from the chains of pain and suffering, being allowed peace. Rahman instead gazed upon the mortals and chose some of them to be the foremost of all mortals. They would be called Ashtari, children of the motion, also known as the elves. History - Ancient time Once all elves were one people, living as one nation. A grey-skinned people of great grace and intellect. During the Age of Myths they fought alongside the dwarves and other mortal races against the giants and other chaotic, primordial beings.Victory was achieved which heralded the end of the Age of Myths and the dawn of a new era, a great golden era. The Era'thora kept the order of the golden era with the elves as their foremost allies. But the Era'thora faded away with time and the mortal races started guiding themselves. The elven empire rose to become the shining jewel of Solcu, their fabled capital of such beauty and perfection of form that even the gods wept tears of joy. They shared a great alliance and friendship with the half-giants who strived to continue the legacy form their forebears, the Era'thora. Together they engineered magi-tech that rivaled the great creations of the Era'thora, who never managed to recreate the legendary works of the Age of Myths. Yet all things comes to an end. The half-giants too started to fade away as their numbers dwindled. They withdrew from their elven allies, creating hidden sanctums in places hard to reach. The elves found themselves alone as a civilisation on Jebrak. They started to stagnate and become decadent. Some of them left the elven empire to seek their own path. Those who left drowned themselves in pleasure and enjoyments, forsaking the splendor they had achived alongside the half-giants. The Ashtari call it the Great Schism, when the once unified elven people became many and changed their appearences. Some called out to the gods for guidance but the gods had become more and more distant as their never ending conflict with the remaining primordial giants took up more and more of their attention. Yet one of the gods answered the desperate prayers, yet she had only treachery in mind. Arianrhod, once a beloved goddess of the Ashtari pantheon, betrayed her people. She had grown jealous of the other gods, becmong a shadow of herself, a twisted and hateful being. She schemed with a primordial giant from the Age if Myths, Shalangesh the Foul. They corrupted Asmodis, a once gentle god, with words of greed and power. He turned on everything he once stood for and became a blind and mad god who ruled over undeath and slavery. Together they plotted to sacrifice the goddess of the earth, Amatera What then commenced have been lost to time but for fragmented memories passed down as songs and folk tales. they did managed to murder the goddess. As she lay bleeding the other gods came with great anger but they realised that they had lost the faith of their people to those that would become the Trinity of Shadows. Weakened and powerless, they came under great pressure from the Trinity. It was then that Zethus, brother of Amatera who loved her more than a brother should, rose from his grief. He called out to the elves who who yet lived in the empire. At first none answered, corrupted and enslaved as they were by the Trinity. As he was about to lose all hope a single voice answered him. A male elf rose above his peers and cast of his chains. He basked in the glory of Zethus and became a vessel for his power, the first Valkyri. He went out to his breathren to spread words of justice and honour yet none listened. They attacked him and great were his wounds, his blood poured forth yet he strived on, healed by his conviction. Yet he was one and they were legion. As they closed in to finish him off they met opposition. Some had wakened from their enslavement and rose to defend the Valkyr. A great civil war errupted in the capital. Thousands of elves perished in the skirmishes, rives of blood running over the once pristine streets and walls, but the servants and slaves of the Trinity vastly outnumbered the stalwart and true elves. Though it was not in vain. This gave the remaining gods renewed strength and they pushed back the Trinity. They rescued the dying goddess and fled the fallen empire. Out unto the verdant plains they fleed, fertile farmlands, bountiful meadows and plains of grass. There they gathered to mourn as Amatera lay dying. It was then that the Valkyr strode fortth to where the goddess lay bleeding. He had become one with the powers of Zethus, his hair turned a vivi blue, his skin an alabaster white and his eyes had become pools of lightning. Arius the Noble he would be remembered as. He spoke to the gods, telling them that as he ascneded to become a Valkyr he realised a way to save the goddess, though the price would be high. He would act as conduit for all elves and through the union of himelf and the goddess would he be able to channel it all into healing her wounds which the other gods had been unable to heal. Though healed she would not be, rebirthed she would be instead. As a single will did the elves pour their faith and souls into Arius who joined with the goddess as one. As she healed through rebith did life leave Arius, who drew his last breath as hers grew steady and strong. As Amatera rose she fully understood what had been given. It was said that in ancient times the elves had been immortal, never dying of age. That immortality had been sacrificed along with Arius to give rebirth to Amatera. She cried out in great sorrow and of loss, the force of her grief manifested in a terrifying drought. The fertile lands desertified in mere moments and a sand storm formed, so large it turned day into night. The mighty storm fell upon the cities and capital of the empire, forever burying the corrupted and twisted slaves of the Trinity. Zethus gazed upon the elves who had given so much for his beloved sister and gave his blessing to them all, forever changing them from what they once were. The other gods also gave their blessings, giving the elves the apprearence they have today. Many scholars have wondered at this part of the folklore, questioning why the gods would have looked so different compared to their followers' original apprearence. Some instead claim that the Ashtari tribes changed in appearence during the great nomadic era. As they changed so too did how they viewed the gods. The Erdeicken were the main followers of Amatera and thus they would envision her as themselves: Earthen hair and eyes, tall of body and limb and the ability to tan slightly. Though one part most likely hold some truth and that is that Zethus blessed the Ashtari the most, which resulted in their pale complexion compared to the other elves as Zethus had been described since the Age of Myths as being as pale as white alabaster. -5000 The nomadic era -4100 The Grand Archipelago It was when they encountered the primitve and noble shamanistic orcs that some of the faiths changed. The way of dogma and a priesthood were cast away for a broader definition of the ways of the faith, lead by wise shaman. The wroshipers of Artise, Bhasr, Loraeis, Zethus, Magnis and Amatera all cast away the old ways and embraced shamanism. Only the ones devoted to Rahman, Heliset and Isuria kept the old priesthood while the followers of Mohira continued to be as chaotic as ever. -3600 The Divergence The many tribes of the Wind elves found themselves at a crossroad. They could either follow the archipelago westwards or eastwards on their northern path. They gathered for a last major gathering as they chose the fate of the tribes. Seven chose to go west while the others went east. The number of tribes who went east have been long lost to the wear of time. Forgotten by the westward tribes and purged by the Täjaran slavers. -3000 Founding of Windland -2000 The Täjaran Wars -600 The Little Wars -200 Unification of Windland Windland Population: 34 500 000 Ruler: Archduke Ashis III Blutgauze Windland is the name given to the duchies of the Wind elves. Once a nation only in name, made up by the seven original duchies founded by the seven tribes who went west when the wind elven tribes split at the great archipelago between Jebrak, Yaleka and Täjara. It was founded 3000 years ago when the first wave of tribes came to the region and pushed back the primitive and brutal natives who once lived there. The first wave were the Schwarzkronen, the Lichtzeigter and the Erdeicken. The second wave were the remaining four tribes, the Sturmboren, the Schwarzbogen, the Rödrosen and the Elbenvors. They founded the first seven duchies and with time the other duchies came to be, either through various political reasons or through direct need for more land. North of Windland is the frosty Grey Sea. East of Windland are the immense and wild Heartlands, covered with dense forests all the way to the distant Dragon mountains. West of Windland are the Dread lowlands next to the terrifying Dread Sea and the Gahrodar Mountains. South of Windland is the Windless Sea. Westland Duchy Population: 3 400 000 Capital: Silberdorf Capital Population: 240 000 Ruler: Duke Waldemar XII Stahlschmidt The Westland duchy is the oldest duchy of the unified Windland. The old tribe of Schwarzkronen were among the first three tribes who migrated to northwestern Yaleka. The name of the tribe means "Blackcrown", named so as they have the majority of raven haired elves. They marched on towards the mountains while the Lichtzeiger prefered the sunbathed coastal region and the Erdeicken settled for the deep oak forests. Always on the forefront of technological progression as the tribe most devoted to Bhasr, seeking out mineral rich lands to acquire the metals necessary for their latest creations. They encountered a remote dwarven mining settlement whom they befriended, nurturing a partnership with the Imperial dwarves in the fields of metalurgy and engineering that would last for millennium. It was the Chieftain and High shaman of the Schwarzkronen, Waldemar, who came up with the formula for a new type of steel which would be easier to produce, together with some of the finest dwarven smiths. He took the name of Stahlschmidt for himself and all of his kin, becoming the first duke of Westland. The Stahlschmidts have ruled Westland for three millennium, making it the richest duchy in al lof Windland, much thanks to the mineral rich eastern slopes of the Durvek mountain range. Their crest is coloured in rich gold and deep emerald green as they consider gold and emeralds their greatest wealth besides their superb steel. Silberdorf is the capital of Westland. It started out as the hub of mining and manufacturing on the edge of dwarven lands. As trade with the dwarves blossomed it grew to become a large city. Flachenland Duchy Population: 6 000 000 Capital: Gelbenburg City Population: 500 000 Ruler: Duke Karl VI Eickmann The Flachenland duchy, once known as Eickenland, is one of the oldest states of the unified Windland. The old tribe of Erdeicken settled the immense oak forests of central Windland, seeing it as a gift from their goddess Amatera. Erdeicken means World Oak in Ashtari. A clan that pride themselves in their ties to the earth and the lands, they started to clear the central forests for farming. After two millennium the former densly forested Eickenland had become a vast network of farmlands and orchards, sepeared by bands of oak trees. The Erdeicken learned at the end of the first millennium that too much clearing of land would degrade and spoil the soil, turning it into a dustbowl. The ruling duke of the time spent his lifetime to revitalize the impoverised soil, restoring it as the main breadbasket of Windland. It was renamed as Flachenland, to mirror how the land had been transformed. Erntenburg is the capital of Flachenland, the largest city in all of Windland. It was the unofficial capital of Windland prior to the end of the Little Wars. The Council of Dukes held their meetings here, debating issues which involved all the duchies, such as the declaration of eternal hostilities against the Täjara Empire which were uniformly voted for by the dukes. Lichtenland Duchy Population: 5 000 000 Capital: Lichtenbuckt City Population: 400 000 Ruler: Archduke Ashis III Blutgauze Lichtenland is one of the oldest duchies of Windland. Ruled by the wise and benevolent Arlicht family for almost 2800 years who had been the chiefs of the Lichtseigter tribe since the Great Schism. Their last duke died with only one living heir, the wise but frail Alana Arlicht. Cursed with weak health since birth. The noble families of Lichtenland argued over who would become the next duke as they refused to acknowledge Alana as the duchess, claiming that the Little Wars, which had been going on for centuries, demanded a martial duke. Ashis Blutgauze, the lord of the small Blutgauze noble family, stepped forward as candidate, claiming Alana as his lifemate thus ending the argument of who'd become duke. That he had acquired the support of many of the other nobles over the last decade played a part in his quick acceptance as duke. It's a rich and fertile land, blessed with a rich sun for two thirds of the year. Great groves of bountiful fruit trees, large fields of weat and grape plantations make up much of the agriculture of Lichtenland. To the south lies the shining Windless Sea. The city of Lichtbuckt lies at one of the three places at sea level along the Windless Sea's northern coast. Formed as a great cresent moon around the large harbour, the second largest in Windland. Lichtbuckt is said to be the most beatiful city of the Wind elves, only rivaled by Westereichen in the far west. It has the third largest enclave of Urshari, living in the eastern district which has become known as the Foreign district. Most if not all of the non wind elven residents of Lichtbuckt live in the Foreign district. Ogres, dwarves, ath, humans and even leprechauns can be seen on the busy streets. The Asha and Urshari keep to the lower sections of the district, prefering to avoid the unrelenting sun. Grönenwald Duchy Population: 2 800 000 Capital: Waldenburg City Population: 150 000 Ruler: The Grönenwald Duchy is the largest duchy of Windland, covered by coniferous woods in the north and deciduous woods in the south. The Schwarzbogen tribe settled the north central woods of Windland during the second migrational wave. The tribe's name means "Blackbow". Named so after their legendary bows from the ancient past, large longbows made from the wonderous Ebon wood of northern Jebrak.Grönenwald they named the woods, meaning "Greenwood" in Ashtari. A reclusive tribe devoted to the Huntress, Artise. Waldenburg is the capital of Grönenwald. It became under siege by the Täjara Empire during their first crusade into Windland. The human legions broke against the thick granite walls with the Sturmmark and Westland forces hammering their rear, their strength spent enduring the howling winds of Nordmark and the ceaseless harrassment of the elusive Elbenvors warriors. Sturmmark Duchy Population: 4 000 000 Capital: Sturmstadt Capital Population: 340 000 Ruler: The largest enclave of Urshari in Windland live in the lowest parts of Sturmstadt, known as the Shadowy Depths. A twisting labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys, sewers, abandoned residentials areas and shops, untill the Urshari moved in. Thick support pillars rises from the ground into the stone roof, built to support the ever increasing city above as the elves abandoned the lower levels which had been getting more and more plagued with high humidity over the centuries. Though abandoned years ago but for the shadier dealers and residents, the complicated ventilation system still functions, driving away bad air and smells with a constant wind through the underground. Elbenland Duchy Population: 2 100 000 Capital: Elbensten Capital Population: 160 000 Ruler: Rosenland Duchy Population: 2 000 000 Capital: Siebenstrom Capital Population: 240 000 Ruler: Mitterland Duchy Population: 3 000 000 Capital: Brandenfeld Capital Population: 260 000 Ruler: Nordmark Duchy Population: 800 000 Capital: Grauensten Capital Population: 120 000 Ruler: Artisenne Brennenmarke Eickenmark Duchy Population: 2 600 000 Capital: Artisenheim Capital Population: 140 000 Ruler: Westmark Duchy Population: 1 200 000 Capital: Magnisburg Capital Population: 110 000 Ruler: Artisenne Brennenmarke Westmark is called the "shield of the west".It was founded to keep the dangers of the Dread Lowlands from entering Windland and threaten the population. Many wild trolls were pushed into the Dread lowlands during the founding of Windland and the sick and dying lands twisted them beyond recognition. For many hundreds of years they hounded the duchies of Elbenland, Westland and Grönenwald and later Nordmark until the dukes of Westland and Grönenwald decided to help finance a new duchy to act as a buffer for the other duchies while also providing new lands for the increasing influx of freed slaves. The capital of Magnisburg is named after the first duke of Westmark, Magnis I Brennenmarke. A former slave of Täjara who had been branded on his cheek as a warning to other slaves the price for insubordination. He rallied the other slaves of the city against their slavers when a large force of Wind elven raiders scaled the walls in the dark of night. His actions earned him the love and respect of the other freed slaves. He had his saviors reshape his slave brand with fire into the symbol of the god Magnis, the god that the former slave swore his eternal faith to. He volountered to lead an army of freed slaves into the western borderlands, to claim it for Windland. He succeded in pushing back the abominable trolls and undead hordes past the river Narender which became the western border of the new duchy of Westmark. He took the name of Brennenmarke as his family name, which means "Burnmark". The city sits at the foot of the north western horn of the Gahrodar Mountains. A thick and tall wall stands along the eastern riverside of the slow Narender river which flows north from the mountains to the sea. Steilenland Duchy Population: 1 600 000 Capital: Hochdorf Capital Population: 100 000 Ruler: Colonial cities Westereichen Island Population: 700 000 City Population: 340 000 Westereichen is the largest of the colonial cities of the Wind elves (The size of the island which it controls is comparable to Mallorca or Lys from asoiaf). Founded 2000 years ago as the main base of operations for raiders into eastern Täjara. In modern times it's as large as Sturmstadt of Sturmmark. Over the millenium long conflict with Täjara, Westereichen have traded hands between the humans and the elves numerous times. Last time occurred 1500 years ago and ot have been firmly under control by the elves since then, despite the numerous sieges and invasion by the Täjaran legions. The populous city is dominated by the great Sky Dome, the largest domed building in the known world. The walls of the cavernous hall under the dome are covered with murals depicting the many victories and losses of the wind elves in the regions west of Windland. It was about 1450 years ago that a group of leprechauns from the penninsula in the south east arrived. They were under siege from Waldghast and had sent out numerous emmisaries to seek aid. They elves would have refused them as they were already occupied with the war effort against Täjara. It was the young Alysa Eickmann who swayed the high command. The only daughter of Raveus II Eickmann and seventh in line. Young and untested in battle yet it was she who persuaded the grizzled old generals to pledge the full might of Westereichen to the Leprechauns aid. It was during the Second Waldghast Invasion that she would become known as Alysa the Bold. The greatest of the murals of the Sky Dome depicts the most glorious battle, when the elven warriors joined the leprechauns to push back the waldghasts. A great line of spearmen faces an assault of towering Waldghasts, Alysa the Bold holding the vanguard while blowing a mighty battlehorn with badgerbull cavalry and Segelritters charging on the flanks as elven archers rain arrows and bolts from the rear. A medium sized population of Urshari who pledged loyalty to the Wind Elves can be found below Westereichen. Living in a neighbourhood called the Shaded Causeway, narrow parts of the river that floats through the city which has been built over completely as the two riversides of the city has merged together. Sudwackten Population: 100 000 Founded a century into the conflict with Täjara. Guards the entrance into the Windless sea. The largest naval battle in Wind elven history were fought here against Täjara. It is recorded as the first major battle where a large number of cannons were used, which allowed the Wind elves to defeat the vastly numerically superior Täjaran fleet. Osterburg Population: 120 000 Founded 1800 years ago. Base of operations in the east against Täjara. Landsluss Population: 80 000 Founded 1000 years ago to strengthen Wind elven presence in the eastern Yaleka as the Thama family began the revolt of the Colonies against Täjaran oppression with wind elven support. Schwarzwald Population: 210 000 Founded 200 years ago by Vandenar Stahlschmidt and his explorational expedition. Known for it's export of exotic herbs, spices, medicinal plants, goods and the precious ebon wood of Jebrak. Hostilities with the jungle goblins lead to much strife until the fall of the goblin empire, which has been seen as a golden opportunity for the elves to claim more of the jungle and it's precious resources. Wustbrisen Population: 35 000 Founded 180 years ago. The last stop before explorers and adventurers enters the Jebrak desert, inhabited by the goblin empire which controlled much of Jebrak. A hundred years ago the mighty goblin empire crumbled and fractured as the capital and much of it's heartland burned in lava and magma. This has allowed the elves to more freely enter the immense desert in search of relics of the past, even if they have to deal with the now free Aldash. Countless ruins can be found under the sands, the fabled capital of the proto-elves is rumored to be somewhere close to the inland sea. Sudereichen Population: 20 000 Youngest of the seven cities, founded less than 100 years ago. A large fleet patrols it's waters as the relations with the Sudrovian ogres sours. Technology The Wind elves boast that they have the most advanced technology in the known world. It advanced in strides during the Little Wars as they learned to harness the power of steam. Now their steambased technology can be found all over the worlds thanks to the influence of the colonial cities. Humans who are enemies of Täjara are frequent customers of the Engineer's Union. Everything from primitive rifles to techlimbs which allows maimed warriors to be of use again. The techlimbs are among the inventions that the Union pride themselves with the most. An ingenious array of gears and parts controlled thorugh a complex pattern of magical runes which can be used as replacement for any lost arm or leg. The humans and other species pays their lost limb's weight in gold for a techlimb. Enormous steam engine installations powers the cities of Windland, enabling the Engineer's Union to innovate even more magnificent technology. The large steamships are rapidly replacing the old ships that relied only on sails and oars. These steamships uses the latest steam technology to propel themselves, aided by sails. Some of the most ingenious engineers belive that it's possible to achieve flight with the power of steam and a little bit of magic which would change the way wars are done for all eternity. So far it's just an ambitious idea but a handful have devoted their entire life to make it happen.The inventioned of the early rifle have changed the way the Wind elves fight, making the ancient use of spears and shields obsolete. Most research goes into combining technology and magic. To combine technology and magic has always been the most ambitious goal of most advanced sentient species as it's been proven to be vastly superior to anything technological or magical. The most legendary artifacts found from ancient times, even as far back as from the Age of Myths, are referred to as magitech. Untouched by time, they can perform what more primitive societies deem as miracles. Some scholars speculate that the ancient elven homeland had an abundance of magitech, probably developed together with the half-giants whose remote enclaves can be found all over the world. The only way to prove this hypothesis would be to find and excavate the buried complexes which is not without peril as folktales speak of terrors beyond elven imagination and elven imagination is as vast as the sky. Architecture Wind elven architecture follow four principals: Golden ratio, beauty, practicality and airy open spaces with a constant breeze. Wind, the motion of air or motion at all is the center point of wind elven philosophy and society. This has had the effect on their architecture that they prefer to build large airy buildings. Large rooms and corridors high of roof. Tall towers, mighty domes and enourmous halls. All built to accomodate a constant flow of air through the halls and rooms, simulating a slight breeze. Race Relations The other Elves: Asha: Friends Aingeleen: Revered Irasha: Enemies The Dwarves: Imperial: Friends Desert: Unfriendly Jungle: Neutral The Humans: Täjara: Eternal enemy Thama: Friends Blodtorstigor: Loathing and disgust The Leprechauns: Forest: Neutral Jungle: Friendly The Goblins: All these little critters: Mostly hostilities The Orcs: Island: Friendly Other: Neutral The Kaaradi: Below ground: Hostilities Urshari: Friendly to those in windland The Trolls: Wild: The Wind elves encountered wild trolls several times during the nomadic era and the experience have made them view the savages with contempt and hostility. When they claimed Windland they forced the native troll tribes towards the wild forests of the east and into the dangerous lands in the west: The Dread lowlands by the Dread Sea.. City: Neutral The Aldash: Neutral The Dracon: Great friends The Ogres: Neutral but souring. The ogres do not take kindly to the elves claiming the northern island for themselves, eventhough the ogres had no presence nor interest in the island. Category: Races